How DCM’s Japanese Partner Found Smith & Tinker

By

Ty McMahan

Aug 25, 2009 5:40 pm ET

Smith & Tinker

Two Nanovors prepare for battle.

Gen Isayama, DCM’s go-to man for its operations in Japan, led the venture firm’s recent investment in gaming company Smith & Tinker. How did Isayama end up as the lead for a portfolio company based in Bellevue, Wash.?

It’s all part of DCM’s strategy. The firm opened a Tokyo office in January to better evaluate investment possibilities in Japan.

But Isayama doesn’t expect to see much deal flow in Japan. Instead, DCM wants a global perspective on what trends could eventually make their way to large markets like the U.S.
That’s how Isayama found Smith & Tinker. He was seeing more kids in Japan put down their Pokemon cards in favor of more modern versions of battle games.